Positively Wellington Tourism launches comp giving Aussie film fans the chance to win a trip to the 'middle of Middle-earth' via TOUCH/CAST

A casting call is being put out to Australian film fans, with Positively Wellington Tourism (PWT) today opening digital auditions for a money-can't-buy film experience in Wellington via TOUCH/CAST.

Wellington - which is being named Middle of Middle-earth as part of celebrations for the World Premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on Wednesday 28 November - is offering movie buffs the chance to win the ultimate film experience in the heart of New Zealand's world class film industry.

The 'Say it in Kiwi' competition invites Aussies to bring to life one of their favourite lines from a selection of some of the many international blockbuster movies connected to New Zealand's capital, including The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Avatar, King Kong, The Adventures of Tin Tin and District 9.

Two lucky winners will each be treated to two return flights to
Wellington on Air New Zealand, the Official Airline of Middle-earth; a
customised The Lord of the Rings Tour; a money-can't-buy prosthetics
experience at the world famous Oscar-winning Weta Workshop, transforming
winners into creatures from Middle-earth; and two tickets to one of
Wellington's first public screenings of Sir Peter Jackson's much
anticipated The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey at the iconic Embassy
Theatre.

Wellington packs some serious movie-making punch. Not
only was the capital the main filming and production location for The
Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogy, it is also the home of
Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson and will soon host the World
Premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Once described by
acclaimed Mexican director Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth)
as "Hollywood the way God intended it", Wellington has played host to
international cast and crew for several international blockbusters and
is a popular film tourism location.

The 'Say it in Kiwi'
competition offers the ultimate movie enthusiast prize. To enter,
participants need to jump onto filmmewlg.com and record themselves using
their webcam saying a movie line.

Entrants are also encouraged
to get creative and dress up as one of their favourite characters or use
a Kiwi accent to increase their chances of winning.

The
competition closes on 6th December and winners will be announced on the
PWT website and Facebook page on 7th December. Travel to Wellington will
be from 11-13th December to coincide with one of the first Wellington
public screenings of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey at Embassy
Theatre.

PWT is also running a green screen studio, developed by
Big Dog Creative, at Customs House in Sydney tomorrow to promote the
competition and encourage people to enter the competition via the
set-up. Promotional staff will dress up as characters like Gandalf, Jake
Scully and King Kong to further amp the campaign.